Devastating sports losses

July 2, 2015 10:05 AM

Super Bowl XLIX

In the final minute, the Seahawks were 1 yard away from the go-ahead touchdown and a likely second straight championship. Instead of giving the ball to arguably the NFL's best running back in Marshawn Lynch, coach Pete Carroll opted for a pass. New England's Malcolm Butler made a stunning interception to seal the Patriots' 28-24 victory and send Seahawks fans into shock.

Super Bowl XLIX In the final minute, the Seahawks were 1 yard...photo-7469123.112726 - |ucfirst

2014 NFC Championship Game

The Packers had a 12-point lead on the Seahawks with less than three minutes left, but blew it, giving up a touchdown and then bungling an onside kick before giving up another score. Greeen Bay's fate was then sealed when Seattle scored in overtime.

2014 NFC Championship Game The Packers had a 12-point lead on...photo-7419092.112726 - |ucfirst

2013 NBA Finals, Game 6

The Spurs, up 3-2 in the series, had a five-point lead with less than 30 seconds left at Miami. The court was even roped off for a presumed celebration. But San Antonio couldn't make its free throws or corral a rebound to finish things off. That allowed the Heat's Ray Allen to hit the tying 3-pointer in the dying seconds of regulation. Miami then prevailed in overtime before taking Game 7.

2013 NBA Finals, Game 6 The Spurs, up 3-2 in the series, had a...photo-7502255.112726 - |ucfirst

2012 AFC Divisional Playoff

The host Broncos had a seven-point lead with less than a minute left and the Ravens on their own 30 with no timeouts left. Inexplicably, Denver safety Rahim Moore let Baltimore's Jacoby Jones get behind him for a 70-yard touchdown pass. The Broncos then lost in double overtime on a Justin Tucker field goal after Peyton Manning threw an interception.

The Ranagers were twice one strike away from winning their first championship only to blow it in Game 6 at St. Louis. Naturally, they went ahead and lost Game 7 to the Cardinals, too.

2011 World Series

The Ranagers were twice one strike away from winning their first championship only to blow it in Game 6 at St. Louis. Naturally, they went ahead and lost Game 7 to the Cardinals, too.

Photo: Ron Jenkins, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

2011 World Series The Ranagers were twice one strike away from...photo-8129380.112726 - |ucfirst

1992 AFC Wild Card Game

This is arguably the most devastating loss in Houston sports history. The Oilers led 35-3 during the third quarter and cratered, losing 41-38 in overtime at Buffalo. More than 20 years later, it still seems unfathomable.

1992 AFC Wild Card Game This is arguably the most devastating...photo-1997445.112726 - |ucfirst

1986 NLCS, Game 6

The Astros had a three-run lead in the ninth inning and the virtually unhittable Mike Scott ready to go in Game 7. But starter Bob Knepper couldn't keep the lead and Houston lost the series in an agonizing 16-inning marathon.

1986 NLCS, Game 6 The Astros had a three-run lead in the ninth...photo-7718297.112726 - |ucfirst

2003 NLCS, Game 6

Steve Bartman may go down as the most notorious Cubs fan of all time. The team was five outs away from reaching the World Series for the first time in 58 years. But Bartman interfered with left fielder Moisés Alou trying to catch a foul ball. Things escalated from there, with the Cubs losing Game 6 and then Game 7 to the upstart Marlins. Bartman was branded with goat horns and has avoided the public eye since then.

The Red Sox were up two runs with two outs in the 10th inning of Game 6, ready to end a 68-year championship drought. Instead, the Mets, who were one strike away, rallied to win -- with the deciding run scoring thanks to Bill Buckner's error. New York naturally went on to win Game 7 and extend Boston's misery.

1986 World Series The Red Sox were up two runs with two outs in...photo-1705639.112726 - |ucfirst

1994 World Cup

Colombian defender Andres Escobar accidentally deflected a ball into his own net to lead to a 2-1 loss to the United States and his team's elimination. Tragically, he was murdered five days later in a parking lot outside a bar in Medellin.

The Red Sox had a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning of Game 7 with a tiring Pedro Martinez on the mound. Manager Grady Little left him in, and the Yankees rallied to tie the score. New York then won on Aaron Boone's homer in the 11th inning. Little was not retained as manager for the following season.

2003 ALCS The Red Sox had a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning of Game...photo-2689766.112726 - |ucfirst

2001 World Series, Game 7

The Yankees had a ninth-inning lead and the game's best closer on the mound, but Mariano Rivera couldn't hold the lead. Luis Gonzalez's broken-bat RBI single brought in the winning run to deny New York's bid for a fourth straight championship.

Top-ranked Nebraska, undefeated and considered among the greatest teams of all time, trailed Miami 31-30 in the final seconds. Coach Tom Osborne opted to go for two points and the win instead of kicking a PAT for the tie and likely national championship. Turner Gill's pass was broken up by Miami's Ken Calhoun, giving the Hurricanes their first national championship.

Team USA appeared to win the game, but the officials gave the Soviets three subsequent inbounds chances, allowing the Russians to win the gold medal in controversial fashion. The U.S. players refused to accept their silver medals.

1972 Olympic basketball final Team USA appeared to win the...photo-8248800.112726 - |ucfirst

Super Bowl XXV

One of the Super Bowl's greatest finishes came in 1991, when the Bills drove down the field in the final minutes trailing the Giants 20-19. Buffalo had to settle for a 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood. He was wide right, beginning Buffalo's string of four consecutive Super Bowl losses.

The Patriots' quest for a perfect season came down to a riveting final two minutes in the Arizona desert. With a late lead, New England saw David Tyree make a ridiculous catch off his helmet and Plaxico Burress then caught the winning score with 35 seconds left, denying New England's bid for history.

The Edmonton Oilers, vying for their third straight Stanley Cup, were tied at 2 in the third period of Game 7 against Calgary when defenseman Steve Smith accidentally banked the puck into his own net off goalie Grant Fuhr's skate. The Oilers couldn't come up with the equalizer and lost. Smith's gaffe arguably kept them from winning five straight Stanley Cups, as they won it all in 1987 and 1988.

After making the go-ahead field goal in the final seconds at Nashville, the Bills appeared to have a victory in hand. All they had to do was cover the ensuing kickoff, but after a crazy -- and controversial -- lateral, the Titans' Kevin Dyson raced down the left sideline with the winning touchdown. It stood upon review to become the "Music City Miracle."

1999 AFC Wild Card Game After making the go-ahead field goal in...photo-7350941.112726 - |ucfirst

Game 5, 1993 NBA Eastern Conference final

In the dying seconds and trailing the Bulls by a point, the Knicks' Charles Smith had his shot blocked four times underneath the basket. Chicago won to hand New York its first home loss in 28 games and took the series in six games after dropping the first two.

Game 5, 1993 NBA Eastern Conference final In the dying seconds...photo-8248286.112726 - |ucfirst

1998 NFC Championship Game

The Vikings went 15-1 during the regular season and hadn't lost at home all year. They had the Falcons down by seven late in the NFC title game and needed just a field goal to clinch it. But Gary Anderson, who hadn't missed a kick all year, hooked a 39-yard attempt to the left. Atlanta tied the score in the final seconds of regulation before winning in overtime to stun the Vikings.

The Maple Leafs had a 4-1 lead during the third period of Game 7 at Boston. But the Bruins scored three times in the final 10-plus minutes to force overtime. Patrice Bergeron then applied the dagger early in overtime to complete Toronto's collapse.

The Bruins had a late lead in regulation at Montreal, but took a too-many-men penalty that led to Guy Lafleur's tying goal. Yvon Lambert then scored for Montreal in overtime as the three-time defending champion Canadiens kept their Stanley Cup defense alive en route to a fourth straight championship.

In the final minute, the Seahawks were 1 yard away from the go-ahead touchdown and a likely second straight championship. Instead of giving the ball to arguably the NFL's best running back in Marshawn Lynch, coach Pete Carroll opted for a pass. New England's Malcolm Butler made a stunning interception to seal the Patriots' 28-24 victory and send Seahawks fans into shock.